UNITED STATES—Maturity, it’s something so many people have plenty of trouble fathoming. Life delivers curveballs, and at some point you have to roll with the punches and be able to stand up against any obstacle that pits you in a difficult position. I know I’m going to get some slack for this, but I don’t care. I’m barely considered a millennial, but by all accounts I am. I will argue though, that I am a much older millennial than most that I know.

Millennials get a bad rap, but I would argue some of it we bring to ourselves people. Why? We live in this world of self-centeredness; we want what we want, when we want it. We don’t care about other people feelings, it’s all about us, and we fail to acknowledge the needs and wants of those ahead of us.

I have siblings, I have friends, I have workers and people who I generally know, who don’t seem to get that life is not delivered to you on a silver platter. Things are not going to be just handed to you even though you would like them to be. I’ve been known as the money guy in my family, and it literally drives me bonkers America. I have my reason for thinking and feeling this way. When you are placed in a situation, where every penny you have matters, you begin to respect money more.

You don’t just spend frivolously, you know what you need and you know what you don’t need. Do I catch flack for it, all the time? But look at my face: does it look like I care? Not a chance and that is something that has made me quite happy to say the least.

However, I don’t understand why some people have yet to fathom, it is NO ONE else’s job to take care of you? Jeez, my little brother thinks whenever he needs money he can just come to me and beg and beg and beg, and I will give in. I used to, but it became a realization that it was hurting my pockets not his. And to make the situation worse, he never had any intention of paying me a single penny back. Like the integrity for one to do the right thing, no longer seems to matter in America people.

I hate that about people. If you ask someone to loan you money, they are expecting you to pay that money back. I don’t care if its family or not, you can’t continue to screw over people and expect them to help you because you’re blood. Using the family card to your advantage can eventually get you burned because people will no longer trust you.

That same sentiment is echoed for my stepbrother, who constantly whines about having to pay bills. Welcome to adulthood buddy. Why in the hell should someone feel sorry for you for having to pay a car note or insurance for your car? Guess what? You want to drive you have to pay for it; you want to have insurance you have to pay for it, nothing comes free in life. This kid doesn’t purchase groceries in my parent’s household, does not purchase household supplies, he virtually does nothing, but sleep, eat and work. I keep asking myself, at what age does he plan to step up to the plate and begin taking on more responsibilities and showing my parents that he is actually an adult.

Maturity comes with experience, and if people aren’t placed in those situations where they are forced to rise to the occasion. You either crash and burn, someone bails you out, or you succeed. I like the idea of success America; it shows that you have accomplished something and that you’re capable of overcoming things that you never expected. In life if you are not tested to go above and beyond, the likelihood of that transpiring decreases more and more. What does that leave you with? Someone who is immature, stubborn, self-centered and thinking the world revolves around them versus the other way around.